When colleagues found out I was moving to San Francisco from Seattle, many heavily discouraged me from doing so. ‘Why are you moving to one of the most expensive cities in the world?’ ‘San Francisco is saturated for dentistry; you will be paid less, asked to do hygiene, and that, coupled with high rents, will… Continue reading Moving during the pandemic
Are you one of those people who got multiple acceptances? Awesome! Now you have a big decision to make. Here’s some advice on how to choose the right school. This is a draft from my upcoming handbook for foreign trained dentists. Subscribe to the blog to learn when its ready! Cost Let’s face it, ultimately… Continue reading How to choose a dental school
Last week, I let go of two big opportunities. And then breathed a huge sigh of relief! I requested a leave from my responsibilities in the AGD council and, declined a speaking opportunity that was not offering a fair honorarium. Just last month if you’d have asked me if I was going to do either… Continue reading Silence the inner critic
A lot of foreign trained dentists move to the US for a DDS with the eventual goal of pursuing a residency. Several of them consider pursuing residency programs directly. Is it difficult? Yes! Is it possible? Also, yes! Below is an excerpt of an interview I conducted with one of my closest friends, Manali Vora… Continue reading Pathway to residency
Are you one of those people who got accepted into multiple schools this year? I’ve been there too! While it is a wonderful moment and you should treasure it while it lasts, know that this is an important decision not to take lightly! There are 3 main reasons why location matters, and why picking the… Continue reading Why location matters
A lot of students get involved in academic programs while in their gap years. Becoming a student at a program like MPH (Masters in Public Health) is looked at favorably by a majority of international dentist admission committees. It shows commitment, perseverance and an interest in pursuing higher education in the United States. Dr. Nayanika… Continue reading Why consider an MPH prior to DDS
Are you a foreign trained dentist interested in obtaining a DDS and settling down in the States? Great, this post is for you. One of the most common questions I get is ‘how do I improve my chances of getting a US dental school acceptance?’ For starters, here is a list of activities you can… Continue reading Improving your profile
Although I completed my equivalency examinations and interviews for dental school several years ago, I am frequently asked about mistakes that can be avoided. These are some of the mistakes I made back when I was applying to dental schools, and later on, as a dental student. Mistake #1: waiting for a call Foreign trained… Continue reading Mistakes
Based on the ADA Health Policy Institute, foreign trained dentists account for 5% of all graduating dentists in the US. Despite of this, most struggle while navigating employment opportunities after school. I faced some difficulty and confusion when I was getting ready to graduate. Things may be similar, if not worse, for foreign trained graduates… Continue reading How to talk to employers about being a foreign trained dentist
